Rumors Run Amok – Does Anyone Want to be a King?

Nice analysis. I read that in the minors, O'Sullivan was a big part of a turnaround for I think the Ice dogs. It is very annoying--disconcerting--that his contract situation is not worked out yet. Dodger pitcher Brad Penny had a comment about managers. Commenting on Grady Little's bashing and retirement, Penny pointed out he had been on lots of teams, and that good teams did well and the bad teams not so well. The manager had not much to do with it. My point here is the players have to be pulling together, and also they need talent too. The team players need size, character, fight, abilty to play, and chemistry with one another. The kings "core" group of players have got to be overall good--in all areas--at the NHL level as compared to the other NHL teams. That is up to management moer than the players. As the recent Tuk write off shows, the Kings have not done so well over the years. DL's gotta pay or the good players (or their agents) will pull Elton Brand's on the Kings.

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Originally Posted by CarlaMuller

If Murray was the answer, then why wasn't he the guy Lombardi hired for his first coach, not what could be his last. That is a disconnect I haven't fully wrapped my head around. Also, I watched the press conference when he introduced Murray. For the first time since coming here, rather than projecting confidence, to me, he projected fear. Hence, I like Lombardi but I am not a full-time consumer of his Kool-Aid.

On balance, he seems to have a better grasp of how today's contracts directly affect a team's future. Something other GMs don't seem to get even when their own past mistakes still strangle them. Khabibulin comes to mind in Chicago followed by Campbell. DiPietro comes to mind in Long Island after the Yashin debacle.

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Things change over two years... he expected something from Crawford that Crawford didn't provide. Much like Cloutier who was traded for and re-upped to be the solid #1 goalie he had been his entire career before LA (and failed miserably), Crawford while not expected to turn the Kings into a winner overnight, but he was expected to bring a different look and attitude to the Kings that he didn't. So Lombardi let him go and went out and got who he today believes is the best guy for the job.

You are less sold on Lombardi because he couldn't see into the future?

Two things on your press conference comment. 1st of all, your fear vs. confidence thing seems to be speculation, not fact. I chalked it up to fatigue. But 2ndly, assuming he is a little scared (again, just assuming, this is your opinion) can you blame him? He's done everything he can do. He's built an amazing pool of prospects. He's bridged the gap so as not to move the kids in too quickly. He's left plenty of cap space to re-up the kids as well as sign a UFA in a few years. So here we are. The team now belongs to its young players, and over the next few years a few more will be sprinkled in.

What else can he do? It is now up to Kopitar, Brown, Frolov, O'Sullivan, Boyle, Purcell, Moulson, Stoll, Johnson, Doughty, Hickey, Teubert, Bernier, etc etc to play, develop, and start winning. If they don't do so quickly (2, 3 years), it means his job. I'd say he has every right to be nervous.

I'm only picking on you because you seem to have such a good grasp on what he is doing here and yet you say you are less enthused about him then you were. I just don't see what he has done to turn believers away.

Trading Kopitar? Not re-signing O'Sullivan? That might do it... but then, you defend him on thses issues.

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Originally Posted by USCKingsFan31

I'm only picking on you because you seem to have such a good grasp on what he is doing here and yet you say you are less enthused about him then you were. I just don't see what he has done to turn believers away.

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I need to communicate this better. Here goes... There is a difference between being totally sold on Lombardi and not being as sold on him as I once was. He does a lot of things right. For that he gets full marks, for not doing something or directing this organization to create a culture until his third year into the job, I take issue with that.

With respect to your comment, that my perception of Lombardi at the Murrray press conference was fear not confidence. I have never suggested I know or speak with Lombardi. That was my opinion, no more and no less.

I do not think Crawford was an error in hindsight. I think his hiring was a mistake from the beginning. The organization just fired a taskmaster. Lombardi wanted to see if he could trade for a franchise goalie to avoid blowing the team up and starting over. All Lombardi had to do is wait to see if that trade would happen, or not and then hire a coach. Had he done that, back then frankly, I suspect Crawford never would have been hired.

There was no fire or rush to hire a coach IMO. His choice to hire someone before he knew which direction he would take the team is something I hold him accountable for. It is all of these things I am discussing that has changed my opinion of him. I still think he is the right person for this organization. I now look at his transactions with a more critical eye.

I was wondering where you were. Thank you for the post. It has been so chicken little around here. It is nice to read something that doesn't have our star center already gone, Sulli not wanting to be here, and my wife just found out that I renewed my season seats and need someone to buy them.:ggrin:

That was a good read, thank you

great read --missed u on the Buzz as of late--glad yo are back on LGK

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Originally Posted by CarlaMuller

I readily acknowledge I have no inside information. I do have some basic common sense. When a player relocates his family, plays on a line with two of his best friends and his team has some pretty exciting defensemen being developed, he can live in anonymity and make maximum dollars on his own team who are budgeting for his raises, well… tell me again why he hates it here so much? Exactly.

Carla Muller

Carla.hockeygal@att.net

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Beats some unnamed inside source every time.

Nice read.

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Originally Posted by CarlaMuller

I need to communicate this better. Here goes... There is a difference between being totally sold on Lombardi and not being as sold on him as I once was. He does a lot of things right. For that he gets full marks, for not doing something or directing this organization to create a culture until his third year into the job, I take issue with that.

With respect to your comment, that my perception of Lombardi at the Murrray press conference was fear not confidence. I have never suggested I know or speak with Lombardi. That was my opinion, no more and no less.

I do not think Crawford was an error in hindsight. I think his hiring was a mistake from the beginning. The organization just fired a taskmaster. Lombardi wanted to see if he could trade for a franchise goalie to avoid blowing the team up and starting over. All Lombardi had to do is wait to see if that trade would happen, or not and then hire a coach. Had he done that, back then frankly, I suspect Crawford never would have been hired.

There was no fire or rush to hire a coach IMO. His choice to hire someone before he knew which direction he would take the team is something I hold him accountable for. It is all of these things I am discussing that has changed my opinion of him. I still think he is the right person for this organization. I now look at his transactions with a more critical eye.

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Fair enough... though I hope you realize that Marc Crawford that offseason was the biggest name brand coach and was a Stanley Cup winner... he wasn't going to be available if Lombardi took the wait and see approach.

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Originally Posted by USCKingsFan31

Fair enough... though I hope you realize that Marc Crawford that offseason was the biggest name brand coach and was a Stanley Cup winner... he wasn't going to be available if Lombardi took the wait and see approach.

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I agree that Crawford was a big brand name coach at the time. That just makes him the best coach for PR purposes. The best coach isn't the same as the right coach. I hear what you are saying but for myself, when it comes to a question of timing, I have always been of the belief that if the 'right' person isn't available when I am ready to decide, then they are not the right person for me.

As for Cup winners, Keenan, Tortorella and Hartley are all Cup winners and they are also all unemployed. As for Crawford, that ring is ten years old. He also won it with the likes of Roy, Sakic, Forsberg, Foote amongst other players. Timing is just as important in hiring a coach. I think Lombardi rushed and I think that quick decision showed.

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Originally Posted by CarlaMuller

If Murray was the answer, then why wasn't he the guy Lombardi hired for his first coach, not what could be his last. That is a disconnect I haven't fully wrapped my head around. Also, I watched the press conference when he introduced Murray. For the first time since coming here, rather than projecting confidence, to me, he projected fear. Hence, I like Lombardi but I am not a full-time consumer of his Kool-Aid.

On balance, he seems to have a better grasp of how today's contracts directly affect a team's future. Something other GMs don't seem to get even when their own past mistakes still strangle them. Khabibulin comes to mind in Chicago followed by Campbell. DiPietro comes to mind in Long Island after the Yashin debacle.

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I think the reason Crawford was hired to start was to try and stay competitive while rebuilding. That plan hasn't worked so they switched lanes and are trying a different path. That is a full blown rebuild with young talent and MC would not be a good fit for that sort of rebuild. I didn't see any fear at the press conference at all from DL. He stated facts and was straight forward with what he said. He has the backing of AEG to do this rebuild the way it should have been done to start with.